The smart way to save energy? Listen to Dad!

Published:10:00Saturday 18 June 2016

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Research revealed by Scottish Gas shows a Scottish Dad will save his family around £257 each year on energy bills through constant reminders about energy, typically directed at younger members of the family.

The value of Dads’ hounding is not to be underestimated: with over six million fathers in the UK, this equates to a total saving of more than £1.3 million, or in classic Father’s Day gift terms, 150.5 million pairs of socks.

Scottish Gas carried out the research to raise awareness of how people, including Dads, can use smart meters to monitor and be smarter with their energy use.

Eighty-seven per cent of Scottish Dads confessed they are regularly driven to nagging their children about common household issues, from cleaning up after themselves through to turning the lights off when leaving a room. Whilst this fatherly fixation may be a source of irritation to those on the receiving end, the study revealed that without Dads’ intervention, each week Scottish households would:

Leave the lights on for an extra five hours; spend over 30 minutes more in the shower; use nine hours extra of heating; leave TVs on standby for an additional 14 hours.

In total, the findings revealed that if we listened to Dad more, the average Scottish household would cut down on 34 hours of energy that are currently wasted each week.

With smart meters customers can see how much gas and electricity they are using and its cost in pounds and pence. They are replacing existing gas and electricity meters, and will put an end to estimated bills. This means Dad can take time off from grumbling about energy being wasted and let smart meters do the hard work!

Jacqueline Stewart, Smart Energy Expert for Scottish Gas, commented: “Dads are the ‘go-to’ gurus for advice on issues around the home, and our research also shows they know best when it comes to energy saving tips. While we would never say smart meters would replace a Dad’s advice – they would allow them a well-deserved day off from worrying about energy, because they show exactly how much energy you’re using throughout the home.”

For more information on smart meters and to see if you can get smart meters energy saving tips, visit: www.scottishgas.co.uk/smart